Fausy grabs his phone off the table. “I do know a couple hangout spots for their soldiers. I’ll drop a few pins to our guys and get surveillance started.”
My phone buzzes with a message:Package home safe.
I snort out loud. These fuckers. They’re having too much fun acting like James Bond. I don’t care as long as they keep Lennon safe.
Gunnar quirks a blond eyebrow at me. “All good?”
“All good.” I get my head back in the meeting. “All right. Let’s put these plans into motion. I’ll give Zerilli a head’s up.” In person, because I want to see his reaction.
Rocco knocks his knuckles on the table. “Can we trust him not to warn the Russians?”
I shrug. “I guess we’ll see.” After a few beats I add, “Once we have them on the ropes, I’ll arrange a sit down with Oleg. Let him know it’s time to leave or we’ll escalate things.”
As my men say their goodbyes and head out, I walk over to the glass wall and stare down at the city. The buildings aren’t as tall as they are in New York, but it’s still an impressive sprawling canvas of glittering lights, with the Hillsborough River snakingthrough the heart of downtown, reflecting the vibrant colors like a shimmering ribbon.
My thoughts drift back to Lennon. To the threat Giada poses. If anything ever happened to her… I can’t even finish the thought.
Gunnar joins me, his gaze locked on the city below. “I heard about the auction. Anything you want to talk about?”
I scoff. “Goddamn men gossip worse than old church ladies.”
A quiet chuckle shakes Gunnar’s shoulders. “They’re not used to seeing you so bent out of shape over a woman.”
My head jerks to glare at him. “She’s not just any woman.”
He crosses his arms and sighs. “I know, brother.”
My anger deflates as fast as it sparked. “Fuck, sorry. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me.”
His large hand lands on my shoulder. “Yeah, you do.”
***
I’m in my private gym, finishing up my deadlifts, covered in sweat and in a piss-poor mood. It’s been three weeks since I’ve seenLennon. The short updates from her guards that she’s safe are the only thing keeping me from stalking her myself. The only thing keeping me tethered to the fucked-up path I’m required to walk.
Rocco appears in the doorway, and I can see it on his face. Something is wrong.
I grab a towel and wipe the sweat off my head and arms. “What’s up?”
He crosses the gym to stand in front of me, hands shoved in his slacks pockets. A storm is brewing in his gray eyes and his jaw is covered in three-day-old scruff. “Two things. And I’ll tell you the one you’re less likely to freak out about first.”
I don’t like the sound of that.
He shifts on his feet and runs a hand through his unruly hair. “The tail we put onToly Romanov informed me that he had some interesting company last night.”
I throw the towel on the weight bench, rest my hands on my hips, and shoot him a “get to the point” look.
He rubs the back of his neck and winces. “Giada. He was with Giada.”
My eyes narrow.What the fuck?“Where?”
“They were at a little off-the-wall Italian restaurant. Enjoying a nice bottle of wine. Looking cozy.”
I run my tongue over my teeth, feeling my blood pressure rise.
In the last three weeks, we’ve implemented some of our plans. The first raid at the docks went down ten days ago. The policeconfiscated two million dollars’ worth of arms and arrested eight of their men. We’ve also taken out twenty-two of their soldiers in smaller blitz attacks. It’s like kicking an ant hill. They’re running around on guard, paranoid as fuck.
We have a plan in place to hit their warehouses tomorrow night. A coordinated hit with Zerilli’s men. That was Santino’s idea. Giada could definitely know about that. If she’s giving Toly a heads-up, then our soldiers could be walking into a trap.
